My Unemployment Anniversary and becoming Fearless!

This week makes it a year since I was laid off. Wow, what a difference a year makes. I am so much smarter then I was then….and back then I thought I knew it all.

There were a lot of things that I thought about during my 16 weeks of “unenjoyment”. The lessons that I assumed I would learn, I really didn’t. In fact, it has done nothing but re-install a lot of the stuff that I already thought. I went from thinking to knowing.

I gave that job all I had, no vacation, 70 hrs per week, just to get cut with no severance. They just don’t give a crap about you. I used to think getting laid off was for non-performers but when you are the Business Unit Manager for HUMMER and there is no HUMMER then there is no position for you, no matter how good you think you are.

I think I rebounded pretty swiftly; two job offers in 16 weeks – literally the roughest 16 weeks of my life. Mentally, physically and emotionally. Here’s what I re-learned, because a lot of this stuff I already knew:

WORK HARD AT WORK
You would think that I would be against this, but let me tell you, I lasted a lot longer then most people in companies that were struggling. The automotive industry has been laying people off for the last 5 years and up until 2009 I was getting raises. The hard work that I’ve done is what enabled me to find a job in the worse job market that my generation will ever face and at least hold on to the job I had as long as I had it.

WORK HARD OUTSIDE OF WORK
Don’t let your job be all that you have. I happened to want to be rich so outside of work I work on making that happen. Whatever your aspirations are, when you get home from that 9-5, don’t hit the couch every night, hit your dreams. The best way to insure your dreams don’t come true is to not even try.

FAMILY OUTRANKS MONEY – (YEP I SAID IT!!)
I’ve seen husbands getting their company cars stripped away from them and returning home with their tales between their legs; tantamount to castration. When they get home they have the support of their loving wife and their kids still think they are the greatest! Family Is Key, not to mention if the wife is working and unemployment check can go a long way!

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO – REALLY!!
When I was out f work, I wanted nothing more then to get a job. I eat, slept, drank employment. I looked for a job, like it was my job....(click below to Read More). I divided my day into four parts. I woke up, showered and went to Panera Bread everyday. One Bagel and all the coffee my blatter could hold. From 8:30 to Noon, I used www.indeed.com and applied for every job that fit my 6 different job descriptions I fit into. From 12:30 to 3:00 I worked the phones, calling head hunters, friends and friends of friends, and then after 4:00 I looked outside the box, emailing people I didn’t even know on Facebook and linked if their company’s were hiring. I watched interviews on Youtube, reviewed resume writing tips, looked for job fairs, and studied job fair tips. Then I spent the rest of the night doing self hypnosis, listening to Jim Rohn, Tim Robbins and Earl Nightingale. I knew that after 3 weeks of this, and I didn’t get a call that I would start to feel discouraged. It was true. Then 3 weeks turned to 4 and 4 to 8. I tweaked my routine a little but stayed at it. If there were 20 people doing the same thing, when 19 of them quit I would still be around ready to get that job.

There was no choice. I was able to keep all my businesses running, and pay all my bills. I laid awake at night dreaming about the day I would get the call for an interview. When I got an interview I went over every possible question in my head, I went to Barnes and Noble and read interview books until they kicked me out.

Some people, who were laid off, knew people in the right places and were able to obtain gainful employment super quick, some are still unemployed. I was prepared to work for it until I got it. How bad do you want it?

FEARLESS!
That’s why I know I am going to hit the million dollar mark. If you asked me a year and 1 week ago, what my biggest fear was. Honestly, I would have told you losing my job; by far my biggest fear.

I’m no longer afraid of that. Now if you asked me what my biggest fear is, I honestly couldn’t answer you.
I’ve already failed at many things many times, I’ve been so close to losing everything I’ve ever had many times, I’ve been forced to move out of my home because I couldn’t pay my bills, I’ve been divorced, I’ve been fat, I’ve been so many things except the one thing I am now. Fearless! (Fear of God doesn’t count). Getting laid off has removed one of my biggest fears….and for that, I’m Most Thankful.

So thanks to that crappy company, with crappy management, and my crappy boss for doing what I thought couldn’t be done….removing my Fear!! Now it’s time to Do Work!



P.S. When you think Fearless - Think Jet-Li not Taylor Swift!

Eitherway I've attached links to WallPapers of the Post. Click them and make these your inspirational Wall Papers of the week.


HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!
-MJL